In this review, we will be comparing ESL and R-625FA, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from MartinLogan and Klipsch. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan ESL and Klipsch R-625FA first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
MartinLogan ESL Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 8.6x34" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter
- 8" high-excursion paper cone Woofer
- 42-22k Hz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:20-300watts
- Weight:16.14kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1350.0" x 9-5/16" x 16-1/2"( 1350.0 x 237.0 x 420.0mm )
Klipsch R-625FA Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Copper-spun IMG Woofer
- 38-21k Hz Frequency Response
- 96 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 100watts
- Weight:22.20kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1021.0" x 9-3/8" x 16-3/4"( 1021.0 x 239.0 x 426.0mm )
What size room are the MartinLogan ESL and Klipsch R-625FA speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size and max power parameters:
Listening Environment* |
MartinLogan ESL |
Klipsch R-625FA |
Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
Very Large Room |
Average |
Bad |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2, Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: > 400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening position, speaker locations, etc.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan ESL and Klipsch R-625FA compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both ESL and R-625FA are 2-way speakers.
Driver |
MartinLogan ESL |
Klipsch R-625FA |
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
Tweeter
|
8.6x34-inch
|
1-inch
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
ESL features a 8.6x34" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter and 1 x 8" high-excursion paper cone Woofer . On the other hand, the R-625FA features a 1" Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Copper-spun IMG Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz.
Frequency Response
ESL has a frequency range of 42-22k Hz whereas R-625FA has a frequency range of 38-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the R-625FA can go slightly deeper then the ESL's min frequency of 42Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
ESL is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the R-625FA which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. ESL sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the R-625FA's is rated at 96 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-625FA a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan ESL, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
ESL can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas R-625FA has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 200 watts less than the ESL.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
ESL features Post type posts and R-625FA has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare MartinLogan ESL's and Klipsch R-625FA's external dimensions. MartinLogan ESL has external dimensions of 1350.0 x 237.0 x 420.0mm ( 53-1/8 x 9-5/16 x 16-1/2inch) whereas Klipsch R-625FA has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 239.0 x 426.0mm ( 40-3/16 x 9-3/8 x 16-3/4inch) .
MartinLogan ESL is 2mm narrower and 6mm less deeper than Klipsch R-625FA but it is also 329mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan ESL and Klipsch R-625FA in scale.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the MartinLogan ESL is approximately 995.4cm2 / 154.3inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-625FA is approximately 1018.1cm2 / 157.8inch2. The ESL requires 2% less surface area than the R-625FA which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The MartinLogan ESL weighs 16.14kg / 35.5lbs and the Klipsch R-625FA weighs 22.20kg / 48.8lbs. This makes the R-625FA 38% heavier than the ESL.
Here is a comparison of how ESL and R-625FA's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of MartinLogan ESL?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of ESL:
Floor-standing hybrid electrostatic loudspeakerAC power adapter (w/ attached 10-feet DC cord)Cloth grille (installed)4 Pre-installed feetUsers Manual (En/Fr)Product Registration Card
What's in the Box of Klipsch R-625FA?
Here are the items that come with the R-625FA:
Floorstanding loudspeaker2 Grilles (installed)2 Feet4 ScrewsQuick Setup GuideImportant Safety InstructionsWarranty InformationLoudspeaker Feet note